night shift advice! help!!!

[bumblebeerat]

Hi all not sure this is the right place to put this.

I have been working for almost 3 months as a night care assistant working 8pm-8am 3-5 days a week and it's killing me. Don't get me wrong I like the job, I like the money and not having to pay childcare. It's just my youngest only goes to school 8.45-11.45 so I really don't get much sleep on the days my partners working. Plus from 3-5 I have the three children to look after.

I know it's only early days but I feel like a zombie. I've been ill with a cold and cough for 3 weeks now. Sorry I sound really whingy but I just wanted to know what I can do to cope? Or do some people never get used to it? Any advice would be great ??

Could you afford to drop some hours?
I think you are putting your health at risk through lack of rest.
Try changing shifts so your partner is around during the day to help more?

Why did you think you could do that???

If people could do night shifts with day shifts there wouldn't be laws giving a certain number of hours between shifts.

Well when I started it was only meant to be 2 days a week maybe 3 but they keep adding more then get really nasty when I say I can't do it. I'm a bank worker so I have no set hrs. One thing I know is this can't carry on

If you work bank shifts you choose your shifts and days, you don't have to work unless you want to.